Steve Komphela: Moroka Swallows Head Coach Absent From Training As Club Chaos Rages On

• Moroka Swallows head coach Steve Komphela has not returned to training
• The Dube Birds terminated 22 player contracts after misconduct issues
• The team is scheduled to face Cape Town City in the PSL on February 13

The situation at Moroka Swallows has plunged into chaos in recent months.

The turmoil began when the club encountered financial difficulties and failed to pay its players in November 2023.

This followed a strike by the players, resulting in the club's failure to fulfil its obligations in two DStv Premiership fixtures against Mamelodi Sundowns and Golden Arrows.

In January, the club took drastic action by terminating the contracts of the majority of its squad due to alleged misconduct.

Consequently, the Premier Soccer League (PSL) imposed a hefty fine of R1 million on Swallows, with R600,000 suspended for 24 months.

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In response, Swallows decided to release 22 players from the squad with immediate effect. However, following disciplinary proceedings held by the club in January, some players have been reinstated, as reported by Far Post.

In a surprising turn, the club announced the return to training of Daniel Akpeyi, Tlakusani Mthethwa, and Gabadinho Mhango, previously among the dismissed players. It was reported that agreements were reached between the club and these players during discussions.

Notably absent from the scene was head coach Steve Komphela. He recently addressed rumours of being denied access to the training ground, stating that he had not attended due to a lack of communication from the club.

"I was not denied entry to the training venue because I didn't even go there. I'm still waiting for communication from the office because after the games were cancelled in December, we were told that training should not resume until further notice," he said, as quoted on Football SA.

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He wanted to avoid discussing Swallows' issues until direct communication with the management of the club. Komphela highlighted his initial role in the club's success, lamenting the challenges and expressing uncertainty about the future amidst ongoing developments in his absence.

The team is scheduled to face Cape Town City in the PSL on February 13 before hosting Polokwane City four days later. They then take on Platinum City Rovers in the Nedbank Cup in their last February fixture.

Komphela’s men are 11th on the PSL log with 19 points after 16 match weeks.

Komphela trusts data to show Swallows' progress

Sports Brief in December 2023 reported on Steve Komphela's reliance on data to show him the club's progress.

The upward lines of the graph were to Komphela's liking.

Over six months into his Moroka Swallows reign, the seasoned coach was happy with his team's progress in building their style of play.